MICHIGAN'S CONEY ISLANDS.

Ask people in New York where Coney Island is, they'll tell you at the end of the B, D, N or F lines, on the coast. Ask someone in Michigan where Coney Island is and they'll answer your question with a question. "Which one?" You see, in Michigan, Coney Island is not a place. It's a type of restuarant. So we have National Coney Island, Lepuma's Coney Island, Jimmy's, Leo's, Athens and so on and so forth.


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(Coney Island locations in Royal Oak, MI)

This is a phenomenon that doesn't really occur elsewhere. I believe the origins come from the Coney Dog, native to Nathan's on THE actual Coney Island in New York. Coneys in Michigan all feature Coney Dogs, hot dogs slathered in chili, onions and regular yellow mustard (not that spicy shit).


We have Coney tacos and Coney burgers as well. Coneys are also famous for having great breakfast specials and on weekend mornings are filled with folks recovering from the previous night. Strangely, Michigan Coney Islands also have a Greek infusion, featuring gyros, hanis, lemon-rice soup and greek salads(yes, that is some authentic Greek cuisine, I know). The really elaborate Coneys are actually just glorified diners, offering burgers, sandwiches, mexican food, fish and chips, etc. Many are open late--chili dogs make for perfect for post bar meals--and some even serve pitchers of beer.

So next time you're in the mitten and want an authentic Michigan experience, drop in to a Coney Island and dig in. Just make sure you'll have access to a toilet within the next few hours. You'll probably need it.